It's been a while since I posted here during which time I have retired from teaching and now am share holder/company secretary with hubby's engineering business where I am involved on a daily basis.
After much discussion we have decided what the next chapter will be here on Planet Nesbitt. In 4-5 years hubby will retire - sell the business or probably the business assets(loan free) we'll sell our home(mortgage free)
and relocate to the Isle of Man where initially we will rent a property. As we have no children the proceeds we get together will be our nest egg. As hubby is an engineer he will be in the position to have some machinery over on the island - probably rent or buy a small workshop - but that is a long way away. We have lived in this house for 24 years - the possessions we have collected in that period is staggering - I am trying to draw up a plan - any ideas or suggestions would be gladly received. We can not discuss this openly as if customers got to know they may take their custom elsewhere.

What a great sounding plan. I have never been to the isle of Man, The only advice I have is if you do the removal yourself get a bigger van than you think you will need. When going to Spain the van filled up quickly and we had to leave a shed of stuff for the next people. After we got here we realised that all the good stuff was in the shed,, fishing gear, demijohns, bee keeping equipment etc and I have never worn the bags of 'office clothes' I stuffed in the van instead.

Indeed. The Isle of Man is lovely, will you be allowed to work there? I can't remember the rules about self employment, now.

I would look at it the other way - what do you really, really want to keep? Look at a space (like a cupboard) and decide what's used, loved and beautiful. Get rid of everything else. You have loads of time, so for items you are not sure of (which will be lots) you can box them up with a list (on the inside of the box) and anything you specifically miss a friend or relative can retrieve it for you. It's important not to go in the boxes yourself, as you will retrieve things that you hadn't really missed but forgotten all about. After a year, let them go to new homes unopened. I am a real 'get rid of it' person and in all the years I have been chucking out, I've only regretted it once, when I charity shopped a jersey dress which would have been a perfect post-birth wear. I managed! Imagine the sort of house you'll have and furnish it in your mind - everything needs to fit in that furniture, so start pretending that's all you have. It won't be perfect, but it's as good as any way to start. Good luck!

We are living in the caravan at the moment (just for the summer holidays) and I'm missing very little. All my books have been in storage for the last year, too. I do miss some, but not actually that many. I'll be weeding them severely when they come out!

I am also starting to downsize. Ive started in one bedroom, working my way through the house.
Ive also earmarked the next machinery auction and John has 3 weeks to list things for selling (I beleive we have 2 cement mixers and 1 grass cutting tractor on the list already).